


When I See The Sun Set, I Think Of You

by Kmdoyoung (eomatom)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Beach!AU, Best Friends, Established Relationship, I don't really want to spoil this in the tags but, M/M, Yuwin was mentioned like... once
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 09:42:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17139458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eomatom/pseuds/Kmdoyoung
Summary: It's a routine of theirs, to watch the sunset by the beach together and although things may have changed along the way, Doyoung is determined to keep the tradition alive. 6 years on, he thinks he's done a pretty good job.





	When I See The Sun Set, I Think Of You

**Author's Note:**

> Here's a short little thing just in time for Christmas!! I haven't proofread it yet, but I'll get to it soon! Title was from I Think Of You by Jeremih

**Winter '18**

"You're late," Doyoung yells, and his voice carries across the sand, just barely drowned out by the sound of the waves softly lapping at the coast. The sky had only started to lighten to a dull, muted shade of blue and the cold winter air weighed down on the beach. He can't really tell if the approaching figure is who he's expecting it to be, but he's confident he's right. He squints as the silhouette transforms into a figure with more definite features and feels the corners of his lips lift into a wide grin.   
  
**Summer '13**

The cool waves washed over their swollen feet as they stood on the warm, wet sand, hands intertwined. "So, I handed in my letter of resignation on Monday and you should have seen Yuta's face. He was this close to whacking me in the head can you imagine that? Both of his best, gone within the same month" Jaehyun laughs, turning around to drop a kiss on Doyoung's cheek.   
  
Doyoung doesn't find it amusing, not even a little bit. "Have you found a new job? What are you even going to tell your mom?" He asks frantically, searching Jaehyun's eyes for some semblance of the method to his madness.   
  
They had both been working in Yuta's law firm as attorneys who'd been there since the day the firm opened its tiny doors to the world. The three of them met in college, with big big dreams of one day taking on large cases with each other watching their backs. Now that they had both left Yuta's side, their college dream would remain just that.   
  
Jaehyun faced Doyoung and held both his hands in his, deep sadness in his eyes and tone melancholic. "Hyung, I'm moving away."   
  
Doyoung felt his chest constrict as he took in deep breaths of the humid summer air, feeling himself break into a sweat even as the day faded into the night. He stared at Jaehyun, and even with the gorgeous backdrop with pink streaks in the blue sky, the scene had to be the ugliest he had ever seen.   
  
**Summer '14**   
  
"Seoul's been amazing, hyung. I've snagged a pretty neat apartment near my office and my mom's been settling down well too. She's already best friends with half the neighbourhood. I miss you loads though, nothing feels the same without you by my side." Jaehyun pouts as he strolls along the coastline, shoulders pressed up against Doyoung's.   
  
Doyoung pulls his arm up around Jaehyun's shoulders and immediately puts him in a chokehold. "Seoul's good for you kid, I can tell so stop complaining. You love it there. Don't let boring old Busan hold you back okay? You know I'd go with you if I could." And it's true, he would.   
  
Everyone in the office knew how much Jaehyun loved Doyoung and how much Doyoung adored Jaehyun. It was an unsaid rule taught to even the newbies, that they were out of bounds to anyone but the other. Clients who have tried to ask either of them out have been turned down on the basis that they weren't looking. Yet, they weren't together. They were both mustering the courage to ask the other out. Doyoung was afraid the gentle, kind dimpled boy wouldn't like him back and Jaehyun was afraid he would get in the way of Doyoung's pursuits. It drove Yuta mad, to be caught between the silently pining couple.   
  
Doyoung peers at the sky behind Jaehyun and sighs. The last of the day's sunlight has barely dissipated and the sky has started to revert back to its lonely blue hue. "It's late; I think you should head back. I'll see you tomorrow?"   
  
"As always. Let's have dinner together tomorrow, I miss eating with you"   
  
**Summer '15**

"Yuta's getting engaged to Sicheng, have you heard? And he asked Johnny to be his best man at the wedding can you believe that? Not me, Johnny" Jaehyun huffed as he took a long sip of his strawberry smoothie. Doyoung could only look fondly at his boyfriend as he drank in his features. Oh, what a year could do to someone. Jaehyun still looks as stunning as he did all those years back in high school except now, he's adopted this mature, authoritative air that only comes with roughing it out in the cutthroat city environment.   
  
Doyoung strokes his thumb over Jaehyun's hand as he continues to talk animatedly about how both of them are going to show up at the wedding and out dress the grooms just to get back at them for not considering either of them for the best man's role. He marvels at how Jaehyun is still the same playful person despite all the trials he's been through and how he's still madly in love with him although they only see each other a week or so in a year.

It’s a busy year for Jaehyun and so he’s in town for fewer days than the previous year and Doyoung thinks he’s okay with that as long as he gets to spend time with him, no matter how little time that may be.  
  
**Summer '16**

Doyoung waits every day at the place where the sea meets the sand watches as parents herd their children home as the sun descends over the horizon. He scans the beach landscape and let out a shaky breath as the realisation that Jaehyun was a no-show on this sweltering summer day. The dread hits him like a wave; they haven't spent a summer apart in the decades they've known each other and this year shouldn't have been any different. 

Yet, he waits diligently even when the air starts to cool into fall. As the days passed he heads to their meeting point earlier in the day and leaves later into the night, hoping that the boy with the gorgeous dimpled smile hasn't left him behind by the seaside, where their best memories lie.  
  
**Winter '16**  
  
Doyoung had all but given up hope as he sits up upon the sand at the break of dawn, sweeping the sand out if his hair and turning around to scour the beach behind him. It only took him a few sleep ridden moments to realise that his beloved had been standing a few feet away from where he lay, feet stepping on the line where the waves break on the coast.  
  
"I'm sorry hyung"  
  
It was a barely audible whisper which sent Doyoung's heart into mad palpitations. He surged forward and engulfed Jaehyun in a tight embrace.   
  
"I’ve missed you"  
  
**Winter ‘17**  
  
Jaehyun was uncharacteristically quiet on this windy winter morning, his hands stuffed deep into his coat pockets as he stared out at the horizon, occasionally biting on his lower lip.   
  
"Jae, what's wrong? Has work been tough for you? Is it your mom? Come on Jae you know you can talk to me" Doyoung asks, eyebrows furrowed.   
  
Jaehyun slowly swivels to face Doyoung and cups his face in his hands, hesitance clearly painted onto his features. The hesitance morphed into a mixture of regret and heartbreak as Doyoung swallowed the lump in his throat.   
  
Doyoung knew that he should have been happy for Jaehyun, that he was finally getting the happiness he deserved. But a part of him felt betrayed; it should have been him, it was supposed to be him, he should have been the one who made Jaehyun smile every morning when they woke up, it should have been his privilege to hold Jaehyun's hand as they strolled down the aisles of the grocery store, deciding what to stock their refrigerator with. Evidently, fate had other plans for them.  
  
He braced himself as he stared at the waves crashing behind Jaehyun, holding his tears back. The cold of the metal burned his cheeks.  
  
"I'm getting married next spring, hyung."  
  
**Winter '18**  
  
This year, Doyoung wasn't sure if Jaehyun was going to show up at all. Yet, he still braved the biting cold to await his best friend.  
  
"You're late," Doyoung yells, and his voice carries across the sand, just barely drowned out by the sound of the waves softly lapping at the coast. He watches as Jaehyun takes leisurely steps towards him, arms hidden behind his back. The very sight of his best friend made his heart swell and he felt a smile blossom on his face.  
  
"I'm sorry I got caught up with something"  
  
"Well, at least you came" Doyoung huffed playfully.  
  
Jaehyun smiled in reply but it didn't reach his eyes. He chewed on his bottom lip as he grappled for the words to say.   
  
This scene was all too familiar and Doyoung felt himself slightly recoiling in fear of what was to come. A year had passed since Jaehyun had put an end to what was left of their relationship and Doyoung didn't know how much more of his heart Jaehyun could break.  
  
Slowly, Jaehyun brandished the bouquet of flowers he was hiding behind him and placed it gently in Doyoung's arms.  
  
"I've always wanted to do this you know? All my life I've been taking, and I never really got the chance to show you how much I appreciated it. A-and I just wanted this to be the last memory you have of me."   
  
This whole time Doyoung had been concerned with what he could do for Jaehyun and it was always about giving, but he had never thought about taking. It hurt to know that he hadn't been the most considerate of his feelings. The dull ache in his chest had started to intensify, and he clenched his fist to shake the numbness from his fingertips.  
  
"And I guess I just wanted to say thank you, for everything. I think I'm finally ready to move on."  
  
He lets out a shaky laugh and sighs, reaching up to tousle his already messy hair.   
  
"Six years huh? It's about time I said goodbye to you, I've been holding you back for way too long. Don't forget that I'll always love you, and we _will_ get our happy ending. see you in our next lives hyung, don't miss me too much before then alright?"

Jaehyun turns on his heels and takes determined strides away from Doyoung, making sure never to look back lest he has second thoughts. It hasn’t gotten easier; leaving Doyoung behind and the ache in his chest hasn’t actually been relieved. If Jaehyun was being honest to himself, he wasn’t ready to move on at all. Alas, it had to be done. The very least Doyoung deserved was peace and the assurance that he was going to be okay without him.

The moment he stepped onto the concrete pavement, he let himself indulge in a peek over his shoulders at the spot where his best friend and lover stood. Beneath the warm sunshine lay scattered lily petals on the ivory sand, carried into the murky ocean waters with the ebb and flow of the waves.

**Author's Note:**

> Um... Haha yeah! Do let me know what you thought of it in the comments huehue or hmu on twitter @kimdonsus (I'm not really active there but if you @ me or dm me or anything I'll reply you real quick I promise) Thanks for reading this lil thing I appreciate it so much!!


End file.
